[Altair Miller]
The next day after Okita's summoning, I was at the cafeteria, behind the counter, cleaning the utensils within my reach.
By this point, I had already considered the cafeteria my personal base.
Since no white-haired Servant wearing a red coat was competing with me for the space, I "adopted" the place for myself.
Why do I feel like, if he ever gets summoned, we're going to fight over this space?
Setting that aside, while I cleaned, Okita was "helping"—though in a rather clumsy way. The genius swordswoman limited herself to wiping down the plates, and a few had already succumbed to her awkwardness. To be honest, anything not involving a sword seemed to challenge her skills… it was kind of cute, actually.
Speaking of the genius swordswoman, she already showed a level of loyalty that bordered on pathological.
Having once served in the Bakufu police force, Okita still retained a certain sense of morality—but it felt like she'd wipe out an entire platoon if I ordered it.
That had its pros and cons.
Speaking of pros and cons, I had promised I would train with the girls… specifically Olga, Mash, and Ritsuka. The main reason for the training was to assess Olga's physical condition.
The very second that thought crossed my mind, I heard footsteps approaching. I turned instantly and spotted Artoria. She looked different than usual. Instead of her armor, she wore casual clothes: black shorts that highlighted her pale legs, a black camisole with a jacket over it, and socks of the same color.
She really likes black, I thought instinctively upon seeing her.
When she saw me, she gave me a sarcastic, cold smile. "Well, if it isn't senpai!" she said, hands in her jacket pockets.
Looks like she's still hung up on this "senpai" thing, I thought, rolling my eyes.
"Good morning, Artoria," I greeted her, setting aside the utensils I had used to prepare some tea for Nobunaga, who was sitting in a corner drinking it with a serene expression.
"Hmmm..." She took one hand out of her pocket and placed it under her chin. "A king with culinary skills."
A monkey king, maybe? Still a king though.
"Having one or two extra skills doesn't hurt," I replied, shrugging. Besides, when your own mother doesn't care if you exist, you kind of have to learn a few things so you don't starve.
"Do you need something?" I asked curiously. Even though she remembered me, she didn't seem like the type to just approach without reason.
A strange silence hung in the air after my question. She narrowed her eyes and stared at me for a few seconds before finally parting her lips.
"A hamburger."
Both Okita's and my eyes turned to her. Artoria tilted her head as if she was eagerly waiting for me to start preparing the order.
"A hamburger?" I repeated, slightly perplexed.
"Yes, a hamburger," she reiterated, keeping a neutral expression. "Was anything unclear?"
"You're serious?" Okita asked, tilting her head slightly with a surprised look.
Neither I nor my Servants were expecting that response.
"Did I say anything that would suggest otherwise, Saber?" Artoria shot back, using Okita's class name.
"Why are all Sabers so complicated?" muttered Nobunaga, walking over and placing her tea tray on the counter.
Ah, right—I forgot to mention that Nobunaga had a special fondness for tea.
"The Gyokuro Asahi was excellent, my retainer, though still far from Sen no Rikyū's level," she commented, touching her chin like she was recalling something.
"Sen no Rikyū?! You mean the greatest tea master in history?" I asked, a little surprised.
Sen no Rikyū was a renowned merchant and tea master during Japan's Sengoku period. Known for his eccentric personality, this guy openly challenged the established norms of the time, introducing revolutionary innovations to the tea ceremony. His teachings emphasized simplicity, naturalness, and spiritual depth, deeply influencing Japanese culture. If I remember correctly, he was hired by Oda Nobunaga in his later years.
As my mind wandered, Nobu's voice brought me back to reality.
"He was quite the character. He'd get along well with Saber since they both share a peculiar taste for the color black," Nobunaga said, pointing at Artoria.
Well, that was an interesting bit of trivia, though not exactly relevant at the moment.
Ignoring my Servant completely, Artoria kept her eyes fixed on me. She spoke again, this time with a slightly irritated expression.
"Where's my hamburger?" she asked, narrowing her eyes intently.
Please don't look at me like that... you're going to get me excited, I thought, smirking.
"But Servants don't need to eat," Okita interjected, blinking, her eyes reflecting a slight shimmer of confusion.
Artoria gave Saber a freezing glare for daring to question her.
"I'm not receiving enough magical energy from my Master," she explained. "I need to eat to make up for the difference."
She was very creative with her excuses, and apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought so.
"I thought the magical reactor provided more than enough energy," Okita said innocently, placing a finger to her lips.
Artoria slowly lowered her head to look at her, her gaze glacial. "Are you suggesting I'm lying?"
Okita remained unfazed, ignoring the golden-haired Servant's icy stare.
"Hey! Hey! I'll make the burger," I interrupted, leaning on the counter with an amused smile.
"Good," she replied, returning to her neutral expression.
"It'll take a bit to prepare," I explained calmly.
"Don't you have those frozen ones you can microwave?" she asked.
"Hey, don't insult me," I retorted, crossing my arms. "You'd really prefer a frozen burger over a freshly made one?"
"Whatever," she shrugged. "Just make sure it has spicy sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickles, lettuce, cheese, tomato…" She was counting on her fingers while listing the ingredients.
"That's it?" I asked sarcastically.
"Hmm…" She raised her finger again. "And onions. Don't forget to fry them. Oh, and bell peppers too."
Looks like I've become a fast-food chef, I thought, smiling.
"Alright, alright. You'd better sit down," I said, pointing to the stool across the counter.
Artoria nodded and sat down, placing her hands in her lap and waiting patiently. Once she was settled, I sighed and began making the burger, with my two Servants assisting.
I mixed the seasonings and shaped the patties, feeling Artoria's focused gaze on me. Ignoring it, I placed the meat on the hot griddle, which sizzled upon contact, releasing a delicious aroma. As it grilled, I toasted the buns and organized the toppings. Twenty-five minutes later, the burger was ready.
With a satisfied smile, I slid the plate toward Artoria. "Here you go, made to perfection!"
The burger looked exquisite—even if I wasn't a fan of junk food.
Artoria stared at the plate, almost drooling, and took a massive bite, devouring it voraciously.
"Shameless woman," Nobunaga commented, resting her feet on the counter.
Artoria ignored the remark, continuing to eat with a slightly red face.
As we watched the scene, a knock on the counter drew our attention.
"Altair-kun!"
I turned and saw Ritsuka, the red-haired girl, accompanied by the white-haired mage and the shy, pink-haired Servant.
"Hello, Ritsuka."
"Altair-kun, you said you'd train with us," she reminded me, looking at me directly.
"Of course, I was just serving our monarch here," I replied, nodding toward Artoria, who was still devouring her burger.
"Our king?!" Olga muttered, turning and seeing Artoria eating. She rubbed her eyes as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Senpai…" Mash whispered, clutching Ritsuka's arm. "What is going on? Are we sure that's King Artoria?"
"Apparently!" Ritsuka whispered back.
Mash looked at Artoria—still eating—and then at Ritsuka, with a desperate expression. "I feel like my mental image of the king is collapsing right before my eyes…"
"I'm with you, Mash," Ritsuka replied with a smile.
"You have my compliments. Your cooking skills are quite decent," Artoria said with her mouth still full, looking intensely in my direction as she finished the last bite.
She then turned to the three girls. "Are you doubting my majesty?" A cold pressure filled the air.
"N-Not at all, Your Majesty!" Ritsuka replied, trembling.
"N-No doubt, my King!" Mash added, unsure why she used that title.
Olga, however, withstood the pressure without flinching.
I raised an eyebrow, impressed—so did Artoria, who let out a frosty breath.
"Well then," I said, clapping my hands and turning to face them. "Let's head to the simulation room. As promised, we'll have a friendly training session, ladies," I announced with a smile. I wanted to test Olga and Mash's potential—as well as evaluate the pros and cons of Olga's new body.
Even knowing they weren't on my level, I could barely contain my excitement.
"Senpai's smile is scary."
"Agreed."
"I think it's cute."
I was so excited I didn't even hear their comments.
Hehehe! Let's have some fun, girls… in the purest way possible, of course.
••• ••• •••
A/N: I'm basing Okita's personality on her portrayal in Fate/Type Redline, with some touches of her Fate/Grand Order personality.
Don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me.